Chile Colorado

My husband has been asking me to make Chile Colorado for quite some time now. He used to get it at Casa Verde Restaurante in San Jose when he was growing up.

Yesterday he wrote on my shopping list 'make chile colorado'. So I told him to go look up a recipe and if it seemed right to tell me what I needed. He did and I picked up the stuff. This is definitely a long labor intensive recipe, but it is SO worth it!!! He said it tasted just how he remembered it. Super tender bites of beef in a luxurious sauce with just a bit of spiciness. (he didn't say luxurious... that part was me!)

Chile Colorado (printable recipe)
9 New Mexico dry chilies - washed, with stems and seeds removed
3 cups water
5 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups beef stock or water

Place chilies and 3 cups water into a medium stockpot, and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes to soften.
Strain into a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.
Place the chilies and some of the liquid into a blender, and puree until smooth.
Add more liquid as necessary to form a smooth sauce.
Pass sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds and the tough skins; set aside.
Cut the roast into 1 to 2 inch chunks.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. (I put this in a big plastic bag)
Dredge the beef chunks in the seasoned flour; set aside. (shake in big plastic bag)
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute onion until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add beef chunks a few at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pot, and cook until evenly brown.
Remove cooked meat, and continue browning remaining meat.
Remove onions before they are 'too' done. I let mine get pretty well caramelized, but still had lots of beef to brown, so I removed the onions.
Pour enough beef broth into the pot to cover the bottom of the pan and scrap up all of those delicious bits stuck to the bottom.
Return reserved cooked meat to the pot.
Stir in pureed chile mixture.
Add remaining beef stock to just cover beef chunks, or to personal preference. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat to lowest setting, and simmer for 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
If necessary, adjust with more stock during cooking.
Serve with rice & beans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remove stems & seeds from chilies.




Now, dried chilies might not seem hot... but let me assure you, they ARE!!! My contacts were really bugging me yesterday. After I finished cleaning out the chiles, I scrubbed my hands and started to remove a contact lens. Well, let me tell ya... it felt like someone jammed a hot poker into my eye! After stumbling my way back down stairs, I flushed my eye with milk. That did provide instant relief. But seriously, if you think you've scrubbed your hands well enough... scrub them again before you go sticking your fingers in your eyes!! Your eyes will thank you.

Place chiles and 3 cups water into a medium stockpot, and bring to a boil.



Remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile cut the roast into 1 to 2 inch chunks.

(isn't that beautiful?)

In a big ziplock bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper.


Add the meat to the bag and shake until all pieces are covered.


Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute onion until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.


Add beef chunks a few at a time, so as not to overcrowd the pot, and cook until evenly brown.


Remove cooked meat, and continue browning remaining meat.
Remove onions before they are 'too' done. I let mine get pretty well caramelized, but still had lots of beef to brown, so I removed the onions.


Isn't that gorgeous??
I didn't brown on all sides... just top and bottom... I can't imagine how long it would have taken to brown all sides of that much meat.

Now back to your chilies. Jon was helping me yesterday and made the chile sauce while I was browning all the meat.

Strain chilies into a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.
Place the chiles and some of the liquid into a blender, and puree until smooth.
Add more liquid as necessary to form a smooth sauce.


Pass sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds and the tough skins; set aside.




Back to the pot you were cooking the meat in.


Pour enough beef broth into the pot to cover the bottom of the pan and scrap up all of those delicious bits stuck to the bottom.


Return reserved cooked meat and onions to the pot.


Stir in pureed chile mixture.


Add remaining beef stock to just cover beef chunks, or to personal preference.


Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat to lowest setting, and simmer for 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
If necessary, adjust with more stock during cooking.

I wish you could really see & smell how awesome this is!


Serve with rice & beans.


Enjoy!!!!